Police in Pennsylvania have raised an alert for other law enforcement agencies to help in the hunt for a 31-year-old man who has been identified as being responsible for the fatal ambush of a state trooper on Friday night and the wounding of another.

The shooter, Eric Matthew Frein, described as a "survivalist" and the son of a retired U.S. Army major, used a .308-caliber rifle to shoot and kill Corporal Bryon Dickson of the Pennsylvania State Police, State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan announced on Tuesday. Frein also shot and seriously wounded Trooper Alex T. Douglass from a concealed location, and shot at but missed Police Communications Officer Nicole Palmer.

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Noonan described the suspect as a survivalist who had trained in the handling of firearms and was a member of his high school rifle team. Noonan also said Frein had a strong desire to kill police officers, for reasons unknown. The suspect had an earlier brush with the law when he was charged with theft in another state some time ago.

Frein has been charged with 1^st degree murder, criminal attempt to commit 1^st degree murder, and assault, plus five other crimes related to the incident that occurred just outside the state police headquarters in Blooming Grove, PA.

Pennsylvania State Police earlier described the attack as an ambush and said Dickson and Douglass had little chance of defending themselves. Dickson was shot at twice as he exited from the barracks and died a short time later. Douglass was also shot at twice, with one round hitting him in the pelvis. He remains in a hospital.

The suspect also shot at PCO Nicole Palmer who was standing near the door in the station's lobby, but fortunately she was not hit.

After 90 seconds of gunfire, other troopers raced out of the barracks and used a marked police vehicle to shield Dickson and Douglass from further shots. It was at this time that Frein is believed to have slipped away from his firing position.

Although Frein's motives are still unclear, Noonan said Frein had made statements about wanting to kill police and law enforcement officers, and wanting to commit mass acts of murders.

"He has expressed anti-government leanings in the past, especially toward law enforcement," Noonan said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon, adding that many of his rants appeared on social media.

Frein's name as a suspect came up after a resident reported a truck submerged in a pond about two miles from the police barracks. When detectives searched the vehicle, they found shell casings that matched ammunition used in the attack, camouflage face paint, military gear, two empty rifle cases, and literature about foreign embassies.

When they searched Frein's home in Candensis Tuesday, his parents said an AK47 assault rifle and a .308-caliber rifle were missing from the residence.  His father said Frein had become adept at handling long firearms and "doesn't miss," as stated in the criminal complaint.

Lt. Col. Bivens, deputy commissioner of operations, said on Monday that Frein may have experienced a recent crisis and had complained about the state police several times on social media. There was no indication, however, that Cpl. Dickson and Trooper Douglass were specifically targeted before the attack.

"This spineless act may have been meant as an act of intimidation. Let me be very clear, we are not intimidated, we are coming after you," Bivens had said on Monday.

Pennsylvania state has put up a US$75,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest of the alleged shooter.

TagsPennsylvania State Police, Eric Matthew Frein, PA police ambush